How I blog… I see something that intrigues me, makes me laugh, makes me think…
I ran across a post a few days ago that spoke of ‘Reverse Mentoring’, how us old folk can learn from the current generation. I put it aside for a ‘future’ blog, then this morning, I saw an blog from the Harvard Business Review that brought this topic back to life. The blog, entitled “When Your Influence is Ineffective“, spoke of the 5 methods of influence Rationalizing, Asserting, Negotiating, Inspiring and Bridging. What I found most enlightening was not the blog itself, but the comments.
I would refrain from using the word influence. One should never try to influence, change or manipulate others for own benefit. One should rather work for mutual benefit –Sai Dattathrani
If we can just step back for a moment and observe our desire to influence someone, recognize its source, and then fit it into the larger picture of our work and our relationships, we’ll be able to be more fully present in our interactions. Instead of mindlessly launching into a habitual influence strategy, we’ll loosen our sense of compulsiveness around influencing others. We’ll be able to better tolerate situations where we don’t influence anyone, and paradoxically, end up in more situations where we influence people without even trying. – Kartik Subbarao
… but the latest comment is the one that really caught my eye.
..based on Kartik and Sai’s response , do we need to question our pervasive use of the word influence when discussing leadership with people from different cultures? – notmd
That is where the light went on and the two blogs ‘collided’. Is this really a question of cultures, or is it a question of generations?
I ask those of you that are parents, have you ever resorted to “Because I SAID SO” (asserting)? In today’s world, that’s not any more effective in the workplace than the home. Just because you have authority doesn’t mean you have agreement. Nothing is more demotivating than “The management team got together and decided….”
I struggle regularly at my new job with this question: “Is my team agreeing with my assessment because they truly agree, or because I’m the ‘boss’?”
Going back to generations and the parenting analogy:
As my children have grown to become adults, I find myself relying on their opinion more and more. The world changes so quickly, it is their world now. Reverse mentoring has extraordinary value.
My closing thought?
Influence goes both ways. A good leader is one who recognizes and welcomes the influence of others and then leads by example, not by edict. That’s my goal.
– RTR
Real Time Rick 
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